Thinking of traveling somewhere? A family vacation perhaps? While many would view a holiday as an exciting and relaxing time to unwind and have fun with the whole family, the contrary is true for most autistic children.

Traveling to another place means breaking away from normal routine, which some of us appreciate once in a while, as it would get us out of the humdrum of everyday life. However, autistics thrive on routines. It provides a measure of security and assurance in a world where they often experience sensory overload.

Even though traveling with an autistic child can be challenging and overwhelming, it is important to let the child take in the sights and sounds associated with journeying to a different place. The child would greatly benefit from the experience, and would make subsequent traveling much easier.

Below are several things that every parent should know and prepare before embarking on a trip with their autistic child:

The most important thing to note when traveling with an autistic child is to always have a good plan. Remember to include the child’s favorite activities in the itinerary. Come up with alternatives in case the child is not agreeable to the events that are planned on a particular day on the trip. A good idea is to incorporate environments the child is comfortable with. For example, if the child cannot handle large crowds, book hotels during the low season or visit tourist attractions during the weekdays instead of weekends.

Social stories are small narratives complete with pictures that explain to the autistic child exactly what he/she will be traveling, along with the activities he/she will be doing along the way.

Print and clip images of traveling activities, transportation mode, hotels and local attractions of the destination. Arrange them in a mini-binder, which you will take along for the journey. In the days leading up the trip, go through the binder with the child on the activities that will happen on the first day of travel. On the subsequent days of the trip itself, show the child the activities that will take place on the next day and so forth. This would lessen the sense of chaos the child would feel when going through non-routine activities.

Alternatively, bring along a sketchbook or a magnetic sketching board, in which you can draw the events that will happen later.

Reinforcers are tangible or non-tangible items that the parent can use to reward an autistic child for demonstrating cooperativeness and good behavior. A reinforcer can be anything from a hug, a compliment or an ice-cream treat.

It can be very hard for him/her to remain calm in an unfamiliar place, and this might result in inappropriate behavior. When a child misbehaves, try giving reinforcers to placate them. Remember to always reward him/her with reinforcers when he/she displays good behavior too, as that will increase the likelihood that the behavior will occur in the future.

Having something that the child loves close at hand, such as a favorite toy or book, would greatly help him/her to stay calm and grounded. This is because the item acts an anchor amidst the confusing and unfamiliar sights and sounds that the child is experiencing.

Getting angry and upset is not going to help the situation if the autistic child is misbehaving. Stay calm, and please keep in mind that he/she is also learning to cope with whole new different surroundings as much as you are bearing with the child’s behavior.

Remember that each trip is a learning experience with your autistic child, and the most importantly thing is for everyone to have fun!